Symbiotic
by sapphireEye2010
Summary: Loki needs a new plan to take over the Earth. After he breaks out SHIELD prisoners, he finds the perfect person to help him. Will his plan go well, or will several super heroes and super villains be able to stop him? Rated T for language and other content.
1. Chapter 1

**This was just some crazy idea I came up with while playing a video game. It's a crossover, but I'm going to let you figure it out yourselves.**

He quickly made his way down the corridor, glad nobody could see him. He had spent weeks planning this, and one wrong move could send his plan into turmoil. A right turn here, a left turn there. Soon enough, he arrived at his destination. The door in front of him had a sign that read "Caution: Dangerous Persons". He had no reason to fear the people on the other side of the door. He checks to make sure nobody is around before opening the door and entering the room. On either side of the corridor were several glass windows, each revealing a cell with a small bed. Only a few cells were occupied. The man walks past each cell, examining the person or creature inside. He makes mental notes of each one.

Finally, he reaches the end of the hall and looks into the last taken cell. Inside is a young woman, sitting against the back wall hugging her legs to her chest. She looks up at the arrival of the stranger. The man can see the light layer of sweat on her forehead. He studies her a moment longer before opening the door. She doesn't take her eyes of the man, but she can't figure out how he managed to get in. He obviously didn't work for them, based off of his clothing, yet he opened the door with ease.

"Get up," he commands her. "You're coming with me." He waits for her to get up before turning to release some of the others. When he's released enough, he gathers them in a small group before waving his hand. At first, they were all confused, but their expressions go blank before they can question him. He leads them out, careful not to be seen. Luckily, they make it to the rooftop without incident. When they arrive, a helicopter is waiting for them. They board, and another man assigns each person to a spot, making sure none of the previous inmates were too close. He finishes and turns to the man.

"Loki, why do you need so many?" he asks.

"Because I must find one suitable to help me fulfill my task. You never know the potential one person may present." The helicopter lifts off. The other man is left to watch the prisoners while Loki heads to the front of the helicopter. After a few moments of silence, Loki calls.

"What the hell is going on back there?" He's angry, but the man doesn't know why.

"What are you talking about? Everything's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." He looks around at the passengers. The only female of the group is breathing heavily and digging her nails into her arms. Her eyes are squeezed shut.

"Ok, never mind. I'll take care of it," the man calls back. He crouches down in front of the woman. "Hey. What's up with you?" She doesn't react. He snaps his fingers in front of her face. "Hey! Snap out of it!" Suddenly, he's thrown back as Loki pushes him out of the way. He studies her face for a moment before slapping her across the face. That gets her attention. Her eyes are open, but her expression is still pained.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Loki asks. When she doesn't respond, he slaps her again before standing up. "Don't take your eyes off of her," he barks. He turns and leaves.

An hour later, the helicopter lands. The prisoners are escorted inside a small building and are led into the basement. It was dark and cold. The prisoners are lined up against the wall. Loki stands in front of them, taking time to observe each one. He walks up to one end of the line and starts asking each person why they were in SHIELD's custody. When he gets to the end of the line, he finds himself in front of the woman.

"And why were you a prisoner of SHIELD?" Loki asks. She only stands there, not saying a word. He slaps her once again, but she doesn't budge. "You will answer me when I ask you a question!" he screams in her face. He twirls his hands around and asks again. She opens her mouth to respond, but stops herself. She doubles over in pain, but Loki forces her back against the wall. He looks her in the eye, trying to figure out why his magic didn't work. He gasps when her eyes turn completely white for an instant before returning back to normal.

"Get everybody else out of here," Loki snaps at a guard. "I will deal with her myself."

**Not my best chapter, but I had to cut it off there or else it would get too long.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Yay, chapter 2! In this chapter, you'll find out what is up with the girl and what kind of crossover this is (if you haven't already since the name of the story kinda gives it away). Anyways, read, review, enjoy!**

The room was cleared and Loki stood there, facing the woman. His magic was draining as he struggled to keep control over her. He had no clue how this had happened. Every other person he controlled showed no resistance to the magic, yet she was almost impossible to maintain.

"Who are you?" he asks. She stares at him for a moment before responding.

"Chloe Harris."

"How are you able to resist my magic?"

"I don't."

"Yes, you do. All of the others proved no trouble when I took over their mind. You, on the other hand, are actually quite difficult to control. How do you do it?"

"Like I said. I don't." Loki restrains himself from slapping her again.

"You have to. I-." She cuts him off.

"You aren't listening. _I_ don't fight your magic. Something else does."

"And what is that?"

"It's a long story."

"I have time." She measures him before sighing.

"You see, several years ago, something arrived on Earth. It was a vile thing, needing a human as a host. At first, it went undetected as it spread through New York. Those infected thought they had a disease. Doctors were dumbfounded. Eventually, the symptoms progressed. People had no to very little control of themselves. Others thought they were crazy. Family members were reported missing, but they would eventually show up. When they did, they wouldn't be the same." She pauses.

"What was it?" Loki asks, genuinely curious.

"Let me finish, please. Only one person tried to fight those infected off before the problem became apparent. He carried the thing himself, but he managed to control it. Used it to his advantage. He ended up throwing some off of a roof. The police saw him as a threat and he became a wanted man. Not too long after, SHIELD started to investigate. They found out that the people were changing. It became more apparent who was infected and who wasn't. The infestation got so bad, they closed the city. Blew the bridges and everything. Stark Tower was made the main operations base and a safe zone and hospital for the survivors. They set up a fence to keep them out. They recruited all the help they could, from rich crime lords to humans with extraordinary powers. There were very few of those 'superhumans'. Of course, by the end, they had all been infected or died. The one I mentioned before, the wanted man, had an idea. He broke into a high-security prison and broke out a scientist he believed could end the infestation. SHIELD had reluctantly agreed, along with the others helping. They found the weakness of the thing. Sound. He created a bomb that would destroy the infestation without harming any other living creatures. The leader of the infested was defeated and the bomb detonated. Things returned to normal. Or so they thought. As it turns out, one had escaped. Found a way to survive. It evolved, adapting to the environment.

"It found a new host. Although, it was not a strong host. It was a man dying of cancer. Unlike the previous leader of the infected, he was not strong enough to survive. They had both suffered from cancer, but the new form's host was closer to dying. He passed and the parasite found a new host. It gave the new host unbelievable strength and speed, along with the ability to climb any surface. It was able to stay under a disguise, staying unnoticed until a doctor's appointment showed the parasite. SHIELD was immediately brought in and took the host into their custody in an attempt to prevent another outbreak. They were successful. The new host stayed trapped, doing all they could to support the parasite that changed them, made them a stronger person, physically and mentally."

"You're the new host," Loki states. It wasn't a question.

"Yes. And the host before me was my grandfather. When he died, I was present in the hospital room. I was about fourteen. I thought he just died a normal death, until something black crawled out of his mouth. I almost panicked and called for someone, but before I could do anything, it took over me. I assume I blacked out for a minute or two, and I woke up when the nurses started to shake me. At the time I had been sick with a cold. I had a migraine and my nose was stuffed up. When I woke up, my migraine was gone and I felt better than ever. I managed to get away without being questioned. I felt the urge to run instead of walk, and I did, running faster than ever. I let my legs carry me to an alleyway. There, I was confronted by a gang member. He tried to rob me, but I fought him off and managed to get away unharmed. I went home and researched as much as I could. I found only one possible solution, and I refused to tell anybody. After what had happened before, I didn't want to cause panic. I went out the next day to test my theory and found everything to be true. I could climb walls. I had abilities I never knew I had. I stayed away from others, not wanting to start another outbreak. Unfortunately, I had a doctor's appointment a few days after this revelation. After a screening, the doctor, who had dealt with the last outbreak, called SHIELD after finding the parasite. I was imprisoned and left to rot in that cell."

"What is this parasite called?" Loki asks. He had a brilliant idea forming in his head.

"It's called a symbiote."

"And who were these others you mentioned? The first leader and the man who fought them off?"

"The first leader's name was Eddie Brock. When the symbiote took control of him, he became known as Venom. And the man who fought them off, Peter Parker, was the famous 'Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man'. But there are others. Felicia Hardy, known as Black Cat, who has a grudge after symbiotes almost killed her. Logan Howlett, or Wolverine, who has hated symbiotes from the start. There's a long list. Those are just the main ones."

"Hm. I see we're going to have a lot to plan for."

"Plan for? What are you talking about?"

"I cannot tell you. Yet. But first, you must swear you will assist me, no matter what the circumstances may be. With your help, I may be able to gain control of this puny realm. We could destroy SHIELD and all those who oppose us."

"Destroy SHIELD? At first, I thought you were a crazy man who thought it would be fun to break a bunch of convicts out of the most secure prison in the world. But I like how you think." She holds out her hand. "I'm in. I want SHIELD gone forever." They shake hands and smile. Loki throws his arm over her shoulder as they make their way back upstairs.

"You and I will make a great team."

**I got the idea while playing Spider-man: Web of Shadows, which I had just finished last night. For any artistic readers, I have a challenge for you. I can't reveal it, since it will ruin the story. Just review and say you want to try it and I'll give you my idea. Whoever submits the best picture(s) will be recognized and the pic will be the cover for the story. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm still looking for someone willing to draw a picture for the story. If you are up for the challenge (and it is a challenge), please tell me, either in the comments or you can PM me. It would be nice to get some submissions before I post chapter 9, so you should have plenty of time. Please review, also!**

The day after Loki broke Chloe and the others out of SHIELD's custody, he had disposed of everyone but Chloe and made sure the bodies were never found. He spent time assessing the enhanced abilities Chloe claimed to have, all of which were true. Once he thought he knew the extent of her powers, he started to devise his plan.

It was simple. Chloe would be sent into a large city. From there, she would silently spread and gather new symbiotes without drawing attention to herself. When enough had been gathered, they'd infiltrate SHIELD first. The symbiotes would appear to be regular agents while slowly gaining influence over SHIELD. More and more agents would become his to control. Of course, he would take his time to avoid any suspicion, but eventually, he should have full control over SHIELD. After that, he'd destroy the Avengers. If one of these "super heroes" could take advantage over the infection, who was to say the others couldn't. However, those who did not possess extraordinary abilities, such as the woman and the man with the bow, may prove useful to his plan. Once they were out of the way, he would be free to make his way into the government. Hopefully, if all goes well, he will have control over the greatest Midgardian leaders of the time. Of course, the plan can be altered as necessary.

Before he could send Chloe off, he had to make sure she would be able to perform her job as necessary. He had her infect one of his men. He and Chloe tracked the progression of the infection, trying to find any obvious changes in behavior or appearance. The only difference they could detect was a slight change in social interactions about a week after being infected. That however, could be worked out.

The day had come to send Chloe off to New York, where the SHIELD headquarters were located. She patiently awaited the car that would drive her to her destination.

"Are you ready to go?" Loki asked her.

"Yes. It's not like I have anything to take with me."

"I was just making sure. I want you to start off small. Gain the trust of the people around you. When you believe them to be ready, change them. You will be in charge of everything your 'assistants' do. I've gotten you a small apartment to operate from. Just don't do anything you'll regret. I'll be checking up on you quite often."

"Yes, sir."

"Good." The car pulls up and she gets in. Loki waves as the car disappears down the road.

Two hours later, Chloe arrives at her new apartment. It is very small, but it'll do. She takes time to look around. The kitchen is full of food, her bathroom has all the necessities, and her closet is filled with clothes. Loki had definitely spent some time preparing the place. Not knowing what to do just yet, she settles down on the couch and watches TV.

The next day, Chloe sets out to begin her mission. She wanders around town looking for possible targets. So far, none seem suitable. When walking through the park, she gets an idea. There's a homeless person sitting on a bench, begging for money. He seems fairly young. Nobody would actually miss him, since he lives in the park. Chloe approaches the man.

"Please, lady, do you have any spare change?" the man asks desperately. "I need it for food!" Chloe smiles warmly and helps him stand up. He's weak, but after a good meal, that shouldn't be a problem.

"Come with me," she says gently, trying to sound as innocent as possible. "I'll get you some food." The homeless man smiles.

"Thank you so much!"

"It's the least I can do." She walks with the man back to her apartment. She sits him at the table and roams around the kitchen, trying to decide what to make. Not knowing how to cook well, she makes a turkey sandwich. She places the plate in front of the man and he immediately starts to devour the food. She watches him. When he finished, he looks up at her.

"I can never thank you enough!" he tells her. "How can I ever repay you for your kindness?" She pretends to think before answering.

"I have an idea. Just stay there for a moment." The man looks confused as Chloe closes all of the curtains in the apartment. She finds a hand towel in the bathroom and brings it back into the dining room.

"W-what is that for?" the man asks. He's scared now. "You're not going to kill me, are you?"

"Of course not. I just need you to cooperate. Just stay still." The man doesn't dare move as she gags him with the towel. When she's sure he won't make a sound, she closes her eyes and concentrates. She can feel part of the symbiote leaving her body to the new host. The man's tries to scream, but the towel was in the way. After a few seconds, he went quiet. Chloe opens her eyes to see his closed. She panics for a moment, thinking he wasn't strong enough to handle the symbiote, but when she got close enough, his eyes flew open. They were darker than before. The change was hard to tell.

She crouches in front of the man. He watches her every move. She grabs is face and twists his head from side to side, confirming the transformation was a success. She stands again, taking the towel out of his mouth.

"How do you feel?" she asks. He glares up at her, his face showing a ferociousness it lacked before. He doesn't say a word.

"Don't look at me like that," Chloe spits. "I'm your leader now, and you will do as I say!" The symbiote is starting to take over, but she fights it back. She must remain in control for the plan to work. The man hesitates, trying to measure her.

"You do appear to be much stronger than me. And seeing as I have no choice, I shall do as you wish."

"Good. First off, you will now be known as Mark. Under no circumstances will you leave this apartment without my permission. Now, go clean yourself up. If you are to be under my control, you should at least be presentable." Mark stands and heads to the bathroom.

_This might be easier than I thought_, Chloe thinks to herself. _If he is so willing to obey my orders, maybe the rest will be just as easy to control. Only time will tell._

__**So, I didn't know exactly how I was going to write the transformation, but I did my best. Let me know what you think!  
**


	4. Chapter 4

A week after Chloe took Mark as her first minion, she had encountered the same problem she did with the test subject. Mark would have troubles communicating, stumbling over his words as if he was unsure he was speaking English at all. This was probably an effect of the symbiote adjusting to the new body. Otherwise, he was doing remarkably well. He was almost as strong and fast as Chloe, but if it ever came down to a fight between them, she'd have the upper hand.

About halfway through the week, Chloe accidentally met her neighbor. She had been trying to avoid knowing the people who lived around her, but when she returned home from a day of searching for new targets, her neighbor greeted her.

"Why, hello there," the woman said a little too cheerily. "You must be my new neighbor."

"Uh, yeah, I guess I am," Chloe responded.

"Well, it sure is nice to meet you. I'm Amanda Spelling. I live a few doors down."

"I'm Chloe Harris." Luckily, when SHIELD captured her, they didn't inform the public about her, so she should be free to use her real name for now.

"Lovely name. Well, if you ever need me, you're always welcome to stop by. Bye now!"

"Goodbye." Amanda left and Chloe went back inside, hoping her neighbor wouldn't bother her too much more.

By the end of the first week, she had been lucky enough not to see the woman again. She left her home every day at about 9 o'clock and arrived back at 7. Mark did well not to be seen or cause any trouble. So far, Chloe hasn't found anybody else to take over. She was sitting in her room doing nothing when the doorbell rang. She gets up and Mark retreats to the bathroom to avoid being seen.

"I swear," Chloe mumbles to herself, "if it's that woman again, I'll kill her. How can one woman just _sound_ so annoying?" She opens the door and is surprised to see Loki standing there.

"Hello," he says casually.

"Oh, hi, Loki. I wasn't expecting you." She moves out of the way to let him in.

"I came to check up on your progress. Have you found anyone?" They sit on the couch.

"Yes, actually. Mark? Will you come out here, please?" Mark cautiously emerges from the bathroom. He's startled to see Loki. "This is Mark," Chloe explains. "I found him in the park and brought him back here. Everything has gone smoothly from there."

"No troubles keeping him under control?"

"None at all. He does everything I tell him without second thought. And nobody will miss him. He was homeless and begging for money. As far as anybody knows, he's moved on to a different part of the city or died."

"Perfect." Chloe turns to Mark.

"This is Loki. He's my… boss. So, if he tells you to do anything, you will listen to him. You will give him no trouble. Understand?" Mark nods. "You may go now." He retreats again. Chloe turns back to Loki as they discuss the details of the plan. Loki liked the idea of taking homeless people, since nobody will notice their sudden disappearance. He was willing to take some of them back to his 'base' after their transformations to prevent overcrowding in the small apartment.

"I will be residing here temporarily to assist you in finding new subjects," Loki informs her. She wasn't expecting that and wasn't sure how three people can fit into one tiny apartment. Mark had to sleep on the only couch while she slept in her small bed. With Loki staying, she didn't know what they'd do.

"Of course, you will not have to change any sleeping arrangements. I do not need to sleep like you do." Chloe nods her head. She forgot that he wasn't human. He had told her about it during the time she spent at the 'base'.

The next day, Chloe and Loki set out to search for new targets. They noted the location of a few homeless people who seemed strong enough to handle hosting a symbiote. They had returned home earlier than usual. Unfortunately, they ran into Amanda.

"Hello!" the woman said. Still way too happy for either of their tastes. Loki grimaced.

"Hello, Amanda," Chloe responds without stopping.

"Who is this?"

"Oh, him? Uh, this is…"

"I'm Laurence, Chloe's boyfriend." This got Chloe to stop. Laurence? Boyfriend? Loki turned to her and gave her a look as if to say _Don't you dare blow our cover_.

"It's so nice to meet you!" Amanda responds, not noticing the silent interaction between the two. They kept walking. "How long have you been together?"

"It's been about three years," he lied smoothly. "We met in high school and started dating at the end of our senior year of college. Isn't that right, sweetie?" Chloe had to refrain from flinching at the last word.

"Yes." Trying to make it as convincing as possible, she slips her hand into his. He doesn't resist. Instead, he bends down and kisses her on the forehead. They reach the apartment, Amanda says her goodbyes and leaves. When she's out of earshot, Chloe turns to Loki.

"Boyfriend? Seriously?"

"What? It worked, didn't it?" Chloe unlocks the door and walks inside. "You know, you're going to have to be a lot more convincing if we're going to make this work."

"Make what work?"

"You know what I'm talking about." Chloe rolls her eyes.

"Mark?" she calls out.

"Yes?" he voice calls out from the bathroom. It was the only room in the house without a window, so he would often hide in there.

"Just making sure you were here." She heads for her bedroom, but a strong hand grabs her arm.

"I need your word you will not ruin my disguise," Loki growls. Chloe has no idea what made him so angry all of a sudden, but she agrees. He lets her arm go and she closes the door behind her.

_Damn_, she thinks to herself. _What is up with him?_

**I'm still looking for someone willing to help with the drawing, so if you're up for the challenge, feel free to say so. It should be very...interesting. I would do it myself, but I can't draw to save my life.****  
**


	5. Chapter 5

Loki had been staying in the apartment for three days when they decided on the next person to take. It was another homeless man who had not moved from the location he had been in when they first saw him. Every day, they would pass by him, ignoring him as he begged for money. He appeared to be a little older than Mark. By the look of it, he was stronger, too. Loki and Chloe had discussed the possibility of using him. They saw no harm in trying. They set out for their usual 'walk', easily settling into their 'happy couple' charade. Nobody suspected anything as they made their way over to the homeless man on the sidewalk.

"Please," the man begged. "Please, do you have any money to spare? I'm starving!" Loki smiled as warmly as possible as he held out his hand.

"We'll take you to get food," he said. Chloe was surprised by how nice he sounded. She almost believed him for a moment before focusing on the task at hand. The man took Loki's outstretched hand and the god helped him up. People around were watching as they walked back to the apartment. Some looked amazed that people could show such kindness, while others seemed simply disgusted by the homeless man. Once they got near the apartment, they kept an eye out for their annoying neighbor. Luckily, she was nowhere to be found.

Once inside the apartment, they gave the homeless man something to eat. His name was Sheldon. Between bites, he would not stop thanking the pair for helping him out. He finished of his food and sat back contentedly. Loki leaned over to Chloe and whispered in her ear.

"Hurry up and get it over with," he hissed. "He smells bad." Sheldon looks at them curiously. Loki walks behind the man and clamps his hand over his mouth. Sheldon starts to panic. Chloe closes her eyes and quickly takes control over him, happy he stopped struggling. The house fell silent. Mark quietly peers out of the bathroom. He notices Sheldon slumped over in the chair and gives Chloe a questioning look.

"Don't worry," she assures him. "He's one of us now." Sheldon's eyes open. "You, Sheldon, are now under my control. You will do everything I tell you to do. And if he," she points at Loki, "tells you to do something, you will obey. Am I understood?" Sheldon nods. "Good. Go clean yourself up. Now."

Loki was actually taken by surprise by the authoritative tone in her voice. He knew she would be able to create followers for him as she promised, but he had been concerned she wouldn't be able to lead them. He didn't have to worry about that any more. Sheldon got up without hesitation and headed straight for the bathroom. He stayed in there for about half an hour before reemerging, clean and shaven. Loki decided he would take Chloe out to dinner to discuss their plans further. Chloe told Sheldon what was expected of him while they were gone and left Mark in charge. Her and Loki both changed and left for the restaurant.

They arrived at a nice restaurant. Luckily for Chloe, she had dressed accordingly. She had no clue how Loki could afford so much, but she didn't dare question it. They were seated and served almost immediately. The first half of the meal went quietly, but things go for an unexpected turn when Amanda shows up.

"Hi!" she says, walking over to the table. Chloe immediately reaches for Loki's hand, trying to stay convincing. His hand twitches at the unexpected touch, but other than that, he doesn't seem phased.

"Hello," Loki greets casually.

"Fancy seeing you two here. Are you on a date?"

"Yes," Chloe responds.

"You two make the cutest couple. Well, I just wanted to say hello since I never really see you! Bye now!" She leaves and Chloe sighs, pulling her hand away. Loki quickly grabs it again.

"Don't," he says quietly, looking across the restaurant. She follows his eyes and notices Amanda watching them. _Man_, she thinks. _She's really creepy_. Loki clears his throat, catching her attention again. She turns back and focuses her attention on the meal and plans. For the rest of the dinner, Loki doesn't let go of her hand. When the bill was paid, they got up and left. To their displeasure, it was the same time Amanda left.

"Hey!" She calls after them. Chloe rolls her eyes, making Loki chuckle, a sound she had never heard before. Amanda catches up with them.

"I was wondering if I could walk with you, if you don't mind." _Oh, we mind_, Chloe wants to say, but she keeps her mouth shut.

"Of course," Loki answers. "We would be more than happy to have your company."

"Thanks! I haven't seen you all that much recently, since you're always out. Anyways, how have been?" She's talking way too fast.

"Fine, thank you." The rest of the walk was filled with stupid questions like "Do you have any pets? I like dogs!" or "What's your favorite flavor of ice cream?" They answered accordingly until one question popped up they weren't prepared for.

"Do you two want to get married?" They stare at her as if she was crazy (which she is).

"Uh, well, uh," Chloe stammered.

"We've discussed the possibility," Loki covers for her. She's grateful he's such a good liar.

"Oh. I see." Fortunately, they arrived at the apartment before the conversation could go any further. They say their goodbyes and head inside.

"Oh. My. God. That woman is _crazy_!" Chloe states. Sheldon and Mark look up from the TV. Loki glares at them and they turn back to the screen.

"You think? I was about to blast her ass to the moon! She really needs someone to teach her to shut up!" They both stop and stare at each other. Loki can see the smile about to form at Chloe's lips. The same thought must have crossed through her mind as well.

"Hobos are a little overrated, right?" she asks. "Maybe we could do with a…better option."

"It will give us more room."

"More resources, too."

"Brilliant. Shall I invite dear Ms. Amanda over for lunch tomorrow?"

"Of course, Laurence, dear. After all, she is such a good friend."

**Weird ending to the chapter, but then again, neither Loki nor Chloe are exactly normal. Hope you liked it! Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm so sorry it's been a long time since I've updated, but I've been sooooo busy/distracted. I've had band camp, relatives over, and I recently bought Skyrim, so I haven't had time to update. I normally write ahead of the story, so as of right now I have 1-2 chapters left to write, but I have to refine some other chapters before I post them. Anyways, I hope you like it! Please review!**

The doorbell rings. Loki goes to open the door as Chloe shoves Mark and Sheldon into the bedroom. The bathroom was way too small to fit both of them comfortably. Once they were in the room and the door closed, Loki opened the door. It was Amanda, right on time for lunch.

"Hello, Amanda," Loki greets the crazy woman.

"Hello, Laurence," she responds. "It was so nice of you to invite me over for lunch. It'll be a great opportunity to get to know each other!"

"Indeed. Please, make yourself comfortable. The food will be right out."

The time passes by too slowly for Chloe and Loki. They were hoping that once Amanda got food, she wouldn't talk as much. Sadly, they were mistaken. She spent the entire time talking, asking questions, and being overall annoying. Finally, the food is consumed and Chloe hops up to get the plates and dashes to the kitchen, leaving Loki with Amanda. _I'll get her for that_, he thinks to himself. Much to his displeasure, Amanda starts asking him a barrage of questions.

"How did you meet Chloe? Did you ask her out or did she ask you out? What kind of job do you have? Are you planning on proposing?" Loki resists the urge to slap her.

"Laurence?" Chloe calls out from the kitchen. "Can you help me with something?" Loki jumps up and hurries to the kitchen. Once inside, he can see Chloe is laughing.

"What are you laughing at?" he asks. She calms down and turns to him.

"Your face. You looked like you were scared out of your mind when she started asking you all those questions."

"Shut up. We should get back and get this over with. The sooner she's under our control, the sooner she'll stop talking." They walk out of the kitchen and back into the dining room. Amanda has distracted herself with the untouched newspaper laying on the couch. Nobody had bothered to read it. She looks up before quickly returning her gaze to the page before her. Her head shoots up.

"Why are you in the paper?" she asks. She seems worried.

"What do you mean?" Loki asks.

"Chloe's picture is in the newspaper. It says she escaped from prison." Chloe rips the paper out of the woman's hands and studies the picture. Sure enough, it was her. SHIELD was out looking for her. No doubt they were searching for her right now. She places the newspaper on the table and turns back to Amanda. The woman attempts to scream as a long black tendril shoots from Chloe's hand. The tendril cuts off her scream, wrapping around her neck. Loki stumbles backwards, not expecting this to happen. The tendril lengthens and makes its way into Amanda's mouth. There's a choking sound and the woman falls to the floor. The tendril retreats back into Chloe's hand.

"What the hell was that?" Loki asks, trying not to panic.

"I-I don't know," she says, shaking. "I didn't know I could do that."

"Did you kill her?"

"I don't know." She kneels down next to Amanda's body, shaking it lightly. She's actually relieved when her eyes open. Amanda struggles to stand up. Chloe examines her, checking her eyes for signs of the symbiote. They were darker, and Chloe could sense the parasite inside her. _That's strange_, she thought. _I didn't realize I could sense the others_.

"That's it. We got her."

"Good."

"Listen to me, Amanda. I'm your leader now. You will listen to me and do everything I tell you to do. You will also obey Loki. You knew him as Laurence. If you fail to do anything we tell you, you will regret it. Am I understood?" Silence. "Answer me!" Amanda tries to say something, but no sound comes out.

"Chloe, I think you made her mute," Loki suggests. She shrugs.

"Good for us. Amanda, I want you to go back to your home. You will answer the door for no one except me and Loki. I will send others to remain in your home for the time being. You will behave. Do not leave your home, do not be seen. Got it?" Amanda nods. "Good. Now go." She leaves.

"Well done," Loki says when the door shuts. "Not only have you silenced her, but you've gained yourself a new minion and discovered a new ability. I made the right choice in choosing you."

"Of course you did. Mark! Sheldon! Come out here!" The two men exit the bedroom and stand in front of Chloe. "Mark, you will go down to Amanda's apartment and live there for the time being. You will keep her under control and teach her. Do not let me down. As for you, Sheldon, you will remain here to watch the house when Loki and I leave. You should know by now how to behave. If either of you act out of line, I will see to it that you are punished. Am I understood?"

"Yes," they say in unison. Mark immediately heads for the door. Sheldon makes himself comfortable on the couch.

"Quite impressive," Loki says. Chloe turns to him.

"What's impressive?"

"The way they bend to your will. It's as if they are a part of you. And the way you take control. When asked a question, you stumble over your words as if you don't know what to do. Place a person under your command and it's as if you've known what to do your entire life."

"It's the symbiote. It understands it's the leader, so it takes over. It doesn't know how to interact with humans, though."

"How come you have control over your symbiote, yet the others don't?"

"I'm not entirely sure. The same thing seemed to have happened with Venom and Spider-man. They knew what they were doing, for the most part. It might just be the person's willpower to be in control. But who knows?"

Across the city, a large group of people gathered at the top floor of Stark Tower. There was the Avengers team, Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, Steve Rogers, Thor, and Bruce Banner. Nick Fury, Maria Hill, and several other SHIELD agents. They were waiting for the last people to arrive. Finally, the elevator dings, and more people file into the room. Peter Parker, Logan Howlett, Felicia Hardy, Max Dillon, and Adrian Toomes, or, as they are more famously known, Spider-man, Wolverine, Black Cat, Electro, and The Vulture.

"Now that everybody is here, I'd like to get started," Fury says. The room goes silent.

"And why exactly are we here?" Tony Stark asks.

"Because, the symbiotes have returned."

"Symbiotes? What are symbiotes?" Steve Roger questions.

"They're an alien parasite that attempted to take over Manhattan years ago," Natasha Romanoff answers.

"Yes," Fury interrupts. "We assume they have evolved since their last appearance. Logan over there had claimed to have smelled some while in the city."

"Smelled?" Stark asks.

"Shut it, Stark. Most of us have had experience with the symbiotes, so that may give us a slight advantage. Agent Romanoff was in charge of the operation to get rid of them. Others had more personal experiences. Spider-man, Black Cat, Electro, Wolverine, and the Vulture had all, at one point, been taken over by these damned creatures. They had fought them off and lived to tell the tale. They've all agreed to help, despite some bad backgrounds." He looks at Electro, Vulture, and Cat.

"So, where do we begin?" Stark asks, clapping his hands together.


End file.
